April 02, 2008

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - A few more people in France are satisfied with the performance of Nicolas Sarkozy this month, according to a poll by LH2 published in Libération. 40 per cent of respondents have a positive opinion of their president’s leadership, up three points since early March.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - A few more people in France are satisfied with the performance of Nicolas Sarkozy this month, according to a poll by LH2 published in Libération. 40 per cent of respondents have a positive opinion of their president’s leadership, up three points since early March.

In May 2007, Sarkozy, candidate for the centre-right Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) and former interior minister, won the presidential run-off with 53.06 per cent of the vote. Sarkozy appointed François Fillon—who had been his adviser and presidential campaign leader—as prime minister. 50 per cent of respondents hold a positive opinion of Fillon’s performance, down three points in a month.

During an official visit to Britain in late March, Sarkozy congratulated British prime minister Gordon Brown for signing the new European Union (EU) common treaty, and urged him to have closer ties with the EU. Sarkozy said that EU leaders should be grateful for Brown’s "courage and loyalty" in ensuring that the Lisbon Treaty would be ratified in Britain, and declared that the country should play a bigger role in the EU rather than "being on the sidelines", adding, "We need the British to get Europe moving."

Polling Data

Do you have a positive or negative opinion of Nicolas Sarkozy’s performance as president?

	Mar. 29	Mar. 1	Feb. 2008
Positive	40%	37%	41%
Negative	54%	59%	55%

Do you have a positive or negative opinion of François Fillon’s performance as prime minister?

	Mar. 29	Mar. 1	Feb. 2008
Positive	50%	53%	47%
Negative	42%	40%	47%

Source: LH2 / Libération
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 French adults, conducted on Mar. 28 and Mar. 29, 2008. No margin of error was provided.